Spurs hit the road to battle skidding Bobcats

(Sports Network) - After wrapping up a perfect homestand, the San Antonio
Spurs play the first of four straight on the road Saturday evening as they
visit the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Spurs defeated Memphis, Milwaukee and Houston on their homestand, capping
the stay with Friday night's 114-92 win over the Rockets. Tony Parker led six
San Antonio players in double figures with 17 points while also dishing out
seven assists.

Tim Duncan, Gary Neal, Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills added 12 points apiece as
the Spurs won for the eighth time in nine games and logged their NBA high-
tying 16th win of the season.

"I thought we moved the ball with great pace offensively. I really liked the
way they shared the ball and moved the ball in that regard," Spurs coach Gregg
Popovich said.

The Spurs shot 55.2 percent from the floor in the game while holding Houston
to just 38.9 percent shooting. They led by as many as 33 points and never
allowed the Rockets to get closer than 21 in the fourth quarter.

San Antonio, which is 9-2 on the road this season, has dominated Charlotte
since it came into the league as an expansion club for the 2004-05 season. The
Spurs have won 13 of the 15 all-time meetings and have held the Bobcats to
under 87 points in 11 of those contests.

The Spurs recorded a 102-72 win in the lone meeting a season ago, which took
place in San Antonio, and have won six of their seven trips to Charlotte.

The Bobcats' loss to the Spurs a season ago was part of their 7-59 campaign
and the club has already matched that win total in 2012-13. Charlotte won its
seventh game on Nov. 24, but has lost six in a row since.

Charlotte was denied its eighth victory of the season on Friday night as it
dropped a 108-93 decision to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Playing in his third straight game after missing 13 in a row with a foot
injury, Gerald Henderson had a season-high 19 points off the bench and Kemba
Walker added 16 points and six assists.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Charlotte, which
trailed 33-20 after the first quarter and never got closer than nine points in
the fourth.

"If you don't come out with a lot of energy to start the game and get behind
like that it's tough, especially on the road," Henderson said.

Charlotte opens a three-game homestand on Saturday and has lost four in a row
as the host.